


A Handful

by AutumnsWitch13



Series: What Has Come, What Is, What Will Be [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, The Venture Maidens (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Not Beta Read, Venture Away, live your truth, we don't talk about the Elysium Keep's mushroom lights enough
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29562258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnsWitch13/pseuds/AutumnsWitch13
Summary: "Good luck." Kristoph said without humour."Yeah, I'll need it. Miss Tristane, your conduct at the recent meeting was highly unprofessional. Miss Brynehilde has not filed a complaint against your magical attack on her but that was probably because she was trying to flip a table at you. If there is another such incident I'm afraid I will have to take disciplinary action against you.""That won't work."After the disaster of a meeting Rem talks to Isolde. Set after Ep.15
Relationships: Rem/Isolde Tristane (The Venture Maidens)
Series: What Has Come, What Is, What Will Be [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175078





	A Handful

Rem apologised once more and closed the doors, the smile dropped from her face.

"Urgh." She leant her head against the doors and closed her eyes. Valerius's claws tapped against the table, his bracelets clinking with the movement. Through the door she could hear Aaron's voice.

" _Isolde can be...can be a handful. She didn't do anything else to you though, right? Just-_ "

" _Oh, I'll give her a handful alright._ " Kara snarled.

Rem pushed away from the doors, unwilling to listen to anymore and sat back in her chair.

"That," Valerius's claws tapped once more. "Could have gone better."

"Should have just let them go to bed. You'd been travelling too long, and fighting hunters too, I should have known you'd get into trouble."

Valerius inclined his head in agreement. "That was Arrnodel's idea. I'll write up the report this evening."

"Good. They definitely came from Bastard's Breach?"

"I have no doubt about it."

"That might make tomorrow a little awkward. Give us the short version now, I'll read the report after tomorrow."

Valerius told them what had happened in the desert, and about Sawyeh's strange reaction to the leader. Then at Rem's request recounted the events before and after the attack.

"This hunter could be trouble. You think he was targeting Sawyeh directly?"

Valerius shrugged. "It was difficult to tell. Her reaction was strange though."

"She's young," Kristoph said. "She could easily have been overwhelmed."

"It's a possibility." Rem considered for a moment. "Did you find everything you were after?"

"I did."

"And you have everything for the Maidens?"

"Yes, it's all waiting for them."

"Wonderful, if they're in the Middle Sister give them everything. If not it can wait til morning. You should get some rest."

"Then I'll see you first thing. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight Valerius."

Kristoph waited until the door had closed before he continued.

"Do you think there is any danger?"

"I don't know, this is more Isolde's thing. It doesn't hurt to be cautious."

"Are you going to talk to her?"

Rem groaned but didn't lift her head from the table. "Yeah. Yeah, I will."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"Are you questioning your exalted leader?"

"Yes." He didn't even hesitate.

"They're going to be working for us for," she waved a hand. "It's not going to be very pleasant if Isolde is attacking them all the time."

"Kara _was_ going to flip the table."

"Yes, but - whose side are you on? - she didn't. Crisis averted. There should never have been a desire to flip the table in the first place."

"Good luck." Kristoph said without humour.

"Yeah, I'll need it. _Miss Tristane, your conduct at the recent meeting was highly unprofessional. Miss Brynehilde has not filed a complaint against your magical attack on her but that was probably because she was trying to flip a table at you. If there is another such incident I'm afraid I will have to take disciplinary action against you._ "

"That won't work."

"No, but I must try. Goodnight Kristoph, see you first thing in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am."

Rem knocked at the door of her chambers and went through before she got an answer. She hadn't gone straight to her room, Isolde needed as much time as possible to cool off, and she needed to visit the White Tower and the workshop first.

Isolde was sat at the table and for a moment she felt her gaze on her, then she returned to the papers in front of her. Rem shut the door behind her; the room smelt of incense, and the scratch of the quill was soothing. The last thing she wanted was a fight, but the looming confrontation was practically tangible, and better to get it over rather than dragging it out.

"Isolde."

"Yes."

"Your behaviour at the meeting was unacceptable."

Isolde did not put her quill down. "Mm."

"Look at me, please."

"Mmm." She did not look up.

" _Lady Tristane_ , this is a serious matter. Don't ignore me."

"My apologise, _Commander_."

"Isolde I will make this official if I have to."

"Mmmm. I'm sure you will."

Rem strode forward and snatched the papers away. Isolde glowered at her; the quill poised between her fingers like a blade.

"Isolde, I am not going to ask you to apologise because I know you won’t, but I will ask you to not cast any spells on them unless it is really necessary."

She held her gaze, her voice far too calm. "I would hope that you wouldn't employ anyone who would make an attempt on the lives of any of your council."

"Swear it."

Isolde stared at her, Rem could almost feel her presence in her head, but maybe she was just paranoid. Eventually she inclined her head in acquiesce, only very slightly.

"I won't cast spells on them unless it's really necessary."

"Thank you."

Rem put the papers back and started to remove all her weapons, her armour, and her boots. The tension in the room had lessened, but she could still see how stiff her shoulders were. She opened the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of vintage Elven wine.

"Are you alright?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"We need a drink."

"We don't."

"Just one."

Isolde relented and pushed the papers away, taking the glass, as Rem perched on the table. They sat in a near-comfortable silence for some minutes.

"You were flirting with her."

Rem frowned, she had never known her to be jealous, and she wasn't insecure in their relationship. She knew people thought she flirted a lot but most if it was unintentional. 

"I wasn't flirting much."

" _Everyone_ flirts with you."

"Arrnodel didn't."

"Because she was too busy thinking about Aaron." she sneered.

"What was Kara thinking about me?" Isolde took a moody sip of wine.

"Mainly variations of she's so pretty, and how much she wanted to punch me in the face."

"If she could reach," Rem reached her foot forward and traced her toe along Isolde's leg. "Are you jealous?"

"No. She was drooling, it was pathetic. Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Do I look like I'm trying to seduce you?"

"Yes."

Rem trailed her toe up her body, smirking. Her shoulders had relaxed a millimetre and her lips almost twitched in a smile.

"I'm immune to that look." 

"Are you?"

Isolde got up, downed her wine, and placed the glass on the table. She turned away and her fingers flicked up to her throat, she started to undo the buttons. Rem let herself stare as the robe fell away from her shoulders and the skirt pooled at her feet. She took a quick mouthful; she was so weak for this. Isolde removed the last pin and shook her hair out, the waves catching in the light.

"You're so beautiful."

She paused half way to the bed, pale and naked, cast in blue-green light, her hair falling past her waist. She should have looked vulnerable, but she looked glorious. Rem swallowed and tried to take another sip.

"Are you blushing, Rem?"

The gossamer nightdress fell over her head, covering her body. If possible she looked even more enchanting.

"Can you not cause another scene at the meeting tomorrow?" she said eventually.

Isolde sat down on the bed, gently brushing her hair, and watching as Rem undressed. "I have better things to do. Do I need to be there?"

"It's a council meeting, you should be there. You're the best for explaining the political situation."

"I don't want to be in a room with them."

"You're going to have to at some point."

"They might die tomorrow." That was blunt, even for her.

"Do you really hate them?"

"I expected more. The fate of everything depends on three inexperienced-"

"Isolde. I'm scared too," she sat next to her, taking her hands. "This is bigger than us."

She sighed. "I won't be at the meeting tomorrow, make your peace with that."

"You are coming to Bastard's Breach with us."

"I'm not letting you and Kristoph loose in a delicate situation."

"Oh, please. Of all of us, you're the most likely to kill him."

"Sylvar deserves to be gutted, his blood should stain the salt and his head will be left as a warning to others."

"Fuck me."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just please try to refrain from killing anyone."

"I'll do my best,"

Rem hovered on saying it then. Those three words that her heritage would try to rip away from her, then Isolde added with a soft smile.

"For you."

Rem kissed the corner of her mouth and said it.

"I love you. Even if you're a massive pain in the arse sometimes."

"I know. I'm trying."

She threaded her fingers through the silken strands of Isolde's hair and pressed their foreheads together. They breathed as one for a moment, relishing in the closeness they only indulged in when they were alone.

"Do you want to go away? We should go on holiday."

"Things are going to get busy soon."

"When things are calm again we can take a long weekend. Kristoph and Valerius can keep things running for a few days."

"Yes," Isolde kissed her briefly and Rem leant after her, chasing the softness of her lips. "Somewhere you can see the sky."

"I'll give you the stars, I'll give you whatever you want."

She gazed at her; her night-dark eyes unreadable.

" _Rem_..." there was a rare fragility, a _you don't need to go there_ , and a tender fondness.

"Isolde," she pulled her into her lap and pressed tiny kisses along her jaw. "Love."

"You. Just you."

Rem smiled against her neck and allowed herself to be safe and content.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello if anyone has, in fact, read this I'm happy to take prompts. Thanks for reading, please comment and venture away!


End file.
